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Ceremony Suggestions - A brief discussion about ceremony music in general followed by a list of suggested songs.

Music can be a beautiful and important part of your wedding ceremony. It's a wonderful welcome as your guests arrive and find their seats and helps establish a joyous and reverent mood. Click the player on the Music Samples page to hear some examples as you read.

Musically, the typical wedding is divided into several sections including the prelude, the processional, incidental music during the ceremony and recessional.

The prelude music is usually left to the discretion of the musicians. The timing is not precise and the musicians will want to be able to adjust their program according to factors such as the number of people that have arrived and any unexpected delays. If there are a few particular favorites that you would like to include in the Prelude, be sure to mention them to the musicians and they will be included if possible.

In the Christian tradition, the last thing to happen before the processional begins, is the seating of the immediate family, any grandparents, the groom's mother, and finally the bride's mother. Traditionally, no one is seated after the bride's mother. However, this tradition has relaxed somewhat in recent years.

A special song is often selected for the seating of the immediate family. If this is the case, an usher should advise the musicians when the family is about to be seated. The ushers and family should wait while the musicians conclude the piece that they are playing. A pause in the music will be the signal to the ushers that they should start seating the family members when the music starts again.

When the immediate family has been seated, the musicians will once again conclude the piece they are playing. The bridesmaids should wait until they hear another pause in the music. When the musicians start playing again is when the bridesmaids should start. Everyone in the processional should wait until the previous person is almost to the altar before starting and then walk slowly.

If the music is to change, another pause will occur between the last person in the bridal party and the bride. This will usually be the maid of honor or a flower girl. The bride, usually escorted by her father, will then start down the aisle. It is very helpful for the musicians to know the number of people in the bridal party and who will be last.

In the Jewish tradition, the family and both parents of the bride and groom are part of the formal processional. Therefore, the processional music usually begins with the seating of any grandparents.

It is important for the bridal couple to select the pieces that they want for the seating of the mothers if applicable, the procession of the bridal party and the procession of the bride. It is not required that the music change for the bride and if the procession is very short, or the wedding is informal, it may be preferable not to switch.

It should also be noted that "Here Comes the Bride" which is actually the Wedding March from the opera, "Lohengrin" by Wagner, is not usually considered appropriate for a Jewish wedding.

Some thoughts about the Pachelbel Canon

The Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel is a beautiful piece that begins simply and gets more elaborate and beautiful as it progresses. It is a popular choice for the wedding processional. However, unless the processional is long, it has to get cut before the best part! This is especially true if it is used only for the bride. The bride has usually arrived at the altar before the introduction is complete. It is far more appropriate to use the Canon for the entire processional, or have it played toward the end of the prelude when most of the guests have arrived and can hear it in its entirety.

Here is a list of music that is beautiful and appropriate for a wedding ceremony. You can pretty much mix and match the music for the bridal party and the bride. There follows a section that suggests some pretty combinations.

PROCESSIONALS

CLASSICAL

Aire on a G String - Bach

Aria - Kuhnau

Bransle de la Torche - Praetorius

Bridal March from Lohengrin (Here Comes the Bride) Wagner

Canon in D - Pachelbel

Come Ye Sons of Art Away - Bach

Chaconne - Purcell

Hartes Ease - Holborne

Hornpipe - Handel (From Water Music)

Hornpipe - Purcell

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Bach

Largo from Concerto in D Major - Vivaldi

Largo from Winter - Vivaldi

Minuet Finale from Water Music - Handel

Pavane in Renaissance Style - Wachs

Rigadoon - Purcell

Rondeau - Mouret (Theme from Masterpiece Theater)

Sheep May Safely Graze - Bach

Spring - Vivaldi

Te Deum - Charpentier

Trumpet Tune - Purcell

Trumpet Voluntary - Purcell

JEWISH

Al Kol Eleh - Shemer

Bridal March - Hassidic

Chorsha ha Eucaliptus (On the Jordan)

Dodi Li

Entreat Me No to Leave Thee - Avery

Erev Ba - Avissar

Erev Shel Shoshanim

Dodi Li - Sher

Haha'ava Babanot

Hodaya - Miron

L'Kha Dodi - Zeira

Lu Yehi - Shemer

Wedding March

CELTIC

Carrickfergus

The Lark in the Clear Air

Loch Ta Boat Song

My Love is Like a Red Red Rose

Welsh Aire

SOME NICE SEGUES FOR BRIDAL PARTY AND THEN BRIDE

Canon in D to

Come Ye Sons of Art Away Erev Shel Shoshanim

Hornpipe from Water Music

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Largo from the Four Seasons

Hornpipe by Purcell to Rigadoon by Purcell or Rondeau by Mouret

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring to

Bridal March

Hornpipe by Handel

Hornpipe by Purcell

Pavane in Renaissance Style

Rondeau by Mouret

Trumpet Voluntary

Trumpet Tune

Largo from Four Seasons Winter to Bridal March or Jesu Joy or Trumpet Voluntary